Day 23

Hmm...no INSANITY workout today. And, I thought I was going to REST, but...

P90X - Yoga X and 2+ miles on the treadmill in my Vibram Five Fingers. Methinks I have a hamstring issue on the left leg...poor calves are really suffering and I think I have a sympathetic style ache further up. My ultra cool compression socks should be here tomorrow. Pix - promise.

So, what to do? I have a 10k on Saturday, a Half Marathon on Labor day (14wks) and an 86mi relay race a month after that. This is running's IN season, people!! I just don't have time to do INSANITY and train for the runs I am signed up for.

I loaned out my INSANITY plan to my 19yo brother...he's up for a challenge. I am going to be at the kitchen table this evening, reformulating my training plan for the month of June.

Three weeks of INSANITY yielded a faster 5k time for me and a full 1% reduction in body fat. I will definitely be doing these workouts again - maybe when running season is over and the treadmill is my only option!

Day 22

Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs

I just couldn't do it today. I woke up early, my joints were really hurting. I felt like I had had enough sleep, yet I still had a hard time making it down the stairs. I decided to do Cardio Abs (15min) first. I was hoping that it would loosen me up and help me to get through Pure Cardio (40min w/no breaks). I got through the warm up and just couldn't do it.

It's not that I felt any specific pain anywhere, just that I ached all over and felt as though a super intense workout was the very LAST thing I should be doing.

I think I will be taking my rest week early. This week I will focus on Yoga and getting a few more miles on my VFF's. I have a 10k on Saturday and feel really good about my goals. A little rest should give me the edge I need to reach them!

Day 21

Rest Day

Ran 5 miles in 55 minutes instead.

Best run I've had in a LONG time. Still wearing my Mizunos for road runs, but concentrating on that mid foot strike. I could tell when I stopped paying attention and was crashing down with my heel again. My hips and knees were begging me to stop!

Can't wait to run in my Vibram's all the time. :)

Day 20

Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Blah. I'm tired of this workout. BUT I noticed that I wasn't nearly dead after the warm up...still had sweat dripping in my eyes during the stretch, but my lungs weren't burning. Hard to believe that I made it through 3 weeks of this craziness!

Only 6 weeks to go...

Still getting used to the Vibram Five Fingers. I am wearing them for all of my INSANITY workouts, and have run a couple of times in them. Today, after my workout, I ran a little over 1.25mi on the treadmill in them. I was running out of nap time, or I would have done more.

My calves are still having a fit about the whole thing, but my knees are rejoicing. I feel like I am much move agile and, naturally, light on my feet.

Day 19

Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs

I didn't sleep well last night - my stupid back was bothering me all night. I took a stab at these workouts and rested when I needed to. Not my best effort, but an effort nonetheless.

Seriously, do we EVER get over all of this jumping!?

I went ahead and did Cardio Abs first (thanks for the suggestion, honey). I knew that after 40 minutes of Pure Cardio, the LAST thing I would want to do would be another workout. My back was suckishly tight and painful, so this ab workout helped warm me up - as Shaun T says - "Nice and good."

As a side note: Dang, I'm tired. I'm almost through week 3 of this program and the "Recovery Week" can't come SOON ENOUGH. I try to do everything to the letter of the plan, but I've had to accept that with this - my best really IS good enough. I could make some excuses surrounding my age, my previous smoking and eating habits, or the number of children I have birthed and nursed, but that really doesn't mean a thing. I'm here, now. Right where I should be. Busting my butt and trying my best.

Day 18

Cardio Recovery

I ended up taking the day entirely off. I didn't feel great the night before and went to bed a little early. I dusted my alarm and had intended to work out over nap time. I had a stomach ache in the morning and a head ache later on.

Good think it was my low calorie cycle day (1400) because I didn't feel like eating...or moving much. Dark and dreary outside - good day to read books and watch a movie with the kids.

Day 17

Scheduled: Pure Cardio/Cardio Abs
Actual: 3.25 miles in 37:11

Wore my Mizuno Waves - tried to land front footed, but did miss that feeling of running un-shod. More treadmill miles for that venture, softer surface.

Nice easy run to get my legs back in to running. My GPS sounded off at the half mile mark with a 10:30 pace, and for the first time in my life I had to slow down. My legs are pretty fried from all the jumping lately, so I was happy when my "easy" run came in at 11:26/mi.

I skipped my INSANITY workout this morning and had a beautiful spring morning run. Tomorrow is Cardio Recovery Day, and I plan to do Pure Cardio/Cardio Abs on Thursday. I am not doing this program 100% to the letter, but running is more important to me. I need to *slowly* ramp up my mileage again for another Half Marathon on September 3rd.

Got my running fix, think I can handle DVD workouts in the basement again. :D